In 2017 when I first rescued Linley, I knew I wanted to sign him up for training. Lin wasn’t a bad dog by any means, but he had a lot of anxiety and abandonment issues prior to finding his way to my heart. Plus I figured it’d be great bonding for us, because he was still figuring me out.
Linley on graduation day in 2018
Proud boy
On Christmas last year, I wanted to do something special for Alex and Linley to give them the same experience. The founder of Linley’s dog hiking group, Two Chicks and a Pack, recommended Megan at Primed Instincts for dog agility training here in Atlanta. I signed the boys up right away, and they had the best time together!
And here’s some videos if you want to see the guys in action:
I was lucky enough to watch the last two weeks of the agility trainings, and seeing my two favorite fellas always melts my heart! It was cute to see Linley smiling through all the obstacles, and he’d get so serious when following Alex for a treat. And it was awesome to see Alex so serious too; it was like they were both in “work mode.”
Even an 11-year-old dog can learn new tricks, so never sell yourself short 😉
Media taken Sunday, May 3, 2026 at Walker Park in Atlanta, GA
Alex’s birthday was Saturday, and we had a great time in the mountains of North Georgia! We started our morning with a hike on Blood Mountain where we had stunning views all around us. It was a nice spot to rest, and we even saw a blue lizard scurry nearby.
After our hike, we grabbed lunch at a local spot in downtown Dahlonega that we love so much. We sat outside, enjoyed some sweet tea and seafood, and Linley got even more attention than our birthday boy.
After realizing that Linley had a tick on him in the car (we’re all good, thank goodness!), we enjoyed more stunning views at a winery Alex loves. I’m doing an alcohol-free year but I enjoyed a Sprite while Alex enjoyed a glass of red wine. All three of us were basking in the sun and enjoying the moment together.
Before we knew it, it was time to head home. We look forward to next time!
I started my own business this year because I once felt extremely lonely: lonely where I lived, lonely in my own family, lonely in my workplace and even lonely in some of my friendships. According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association, over half of adults in the United States feel lonely and isolated from others. I want to help others who feel how I used to just a handful of years ago. It’s incredibly important to find community whether you’re going through a major life change like relocation, a breakup or divorce, job loss (or like me: a combination of all three) and more.
I’m sharing who makes up part of my new community because it’s possible for anyone who feels lonely to feel supported and loved; I can promise you that! One year ago I was really wondering if my community was truly stable here – because my life is normally filled with instability and chaos – and it is as strong as it can be. And that’s what everyone deserves. 🫶
Linley and me at an Atlanta Dog Mom Social Club eventCelebrating with my Aunt, Uncle and pup cousin, Ellie!Atlanta United game with our best friendsA family 3k for a great causeHanging out with our friends Devin and ColinA lovely Mother’s DayWatching sweet Larkin againMeeting a teammate in personDinner with Joss, who is also part of the Atlanta dog mom group!Quality time with the hubs of courseA bestie was back in town real quick!
Between 404 Day and now, it’s been a solid month here in Atlanta. We’ve explored new places, revisited some favorites and felt a sense of community with our neighbors (especially Amy because we got to watch her sweet girl, Larkin, this month!)
I look forward to what the rest of April and beyond has in store!
On Friday, I wasn’t feeling the best, but I knew a hike with Linley would help me sweat out my cold in addition to making my heart feel good. We revisited Sweetwater Creek State Park for some light hiking and beautiful views. My mom also had the day off, so we talked on the phone like the good ole days. And as usual, Linley got lots of attention and four young women were adoring him, so I gave them each a treat to give to Linley. He was in heaven!
Being with Linley always makes my day, especially when we can be outdoors together.
And yesterday’s 404 Day celebration in Atlanta was a ton of fun! We strolled through our favorite neighborhood in the city, watched Linley play at Piedmont Park, picked up some plants at Flora and Fauna, and enjoyed an afternoon in our own neighborhood.
I’ve been beating myself up all week about random sh*t, and honestly, I need to stop because I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Media taken Friday, April 3 & Saturday, April 4, 2026 in Atlanta, GA.
Don’t get me wrong: I love our roadtrips and weekends away. But there’s something extra special about being home in Atlanta this time of year. It’s not nearly as drastic as Michigan’s winter-to-spring transition, but laying out in the sun, listening to soul music in the park nearby is something I don’t take for granted here.
The last couple weekends have been so much fun, and I know this weekend will be no exception. We’ve even stayed busy during the week, because there’s no point in living for the weekend (in my humble opinion 😉).
Here’s some highlights that have brought me sheer enjoyment and smiles from ear to ear:
Enjoying some beautiful sunrises and sunsets
An afternoon with Linley
My first Atlanta United game of the season
Another fun dog mom social club event (and checking out a new trail!)
Painting Linley at Piedmont Park
Seeing Linley after his Two Chicks and a Pack hike
I can’t wait for more fun, but enjoying these moments has been exactly what I’ve needed!
You read that right! I started my own business. I’ve always wanted to help people outside of the “typical” business world, and I’m finally taking the plunge. I’m a certified professional coach (CPC) and TEFL-certified tutor, and want to help others find joy in life during and after a major life change. This can include divorce, relocation, career and more. I’ve been through so much in my life and I would love to continue helping others who are going through their own journeys.
Here’s the timeline of how things went:
August – I started my professional coaching certification through the University of Georgia, because I’m tired of corporate and truly want to help others.
December – I officially registered for and launched my LLC: Cate Tracey Coaching.
January – I officially graduated from the certification program!
February – My website was built, and made me appreciate UX and other web features even more.
This month – I’m going all-in on social media and I’m trying to create better reach, page views and engagement overall.
My goal is to have my business full-time up-and-running before the end of this year. It’s an aggressive goal, but I’m aiming high so I can keep at my North Star. I have a few clients right now but I hope to grow this enough so I can do this full-time. This is the only career path I have ever been excited about, and to finally feel excited about my career and professional purpose feels incredibly inspiring.
And no: this blog will not become a professional coaching blog, but I did want to share this news with y’all. 🫶
I’m excited for this new chapter and have faith that it’s all going to work out. I can’t wait to help more people and continue to grow in this profession!
It’s hard to believe it’s been two weeks since our Florida trip. I was on the phone with a friend on Sunday and we agree that it’s such a blessing to have “time fly by when you’re having fun.” My loneliest year in Chicago felt like five, depressing, agonizing years—and my time here in Atlanta has felt like six months tops! There’s something about knowing who you are, being with the right people and feeling “at home with yourself” that has made my post-Midwestern years feel like they’re moving a million miles a minute.
I miss Linley stretching his head out the window to hear the ocean waves, feel the sea breeze and simply take it all in. We’re lucky that he’s such a good boy in the car, and he always found the sunshine no matter what…
In Atlanta, we live near Ponce City Market, and near a street named Ponce de Leon Ave, so of course we had to find Ponce while we were in Florida, too! We wanted to check out some natural springs and they were gorgeous. Luckily we didn’t discover any alligators during our stroll, although we did discover some beautiful views.
“Look up, look out!”
We snacked on some breakfast treats at a picnic table while we watched people swim and play in the park. It was awesome to find something like this in Florida, because I don’t realize how many natural springs existed there. We’ll be back!
After Ponce, we ventured to 30A (not our cup of tea whatsoever, but we wanted to check it out before leaving Florida). We found a non-bougie afternoon hangout where we grabbed a drink and enjoyed the fog. One other thing that threw us off about the PCB area was all the fog; that was my first time in the panhandle and it was insanely foggy, but abruptly! From Ponce to 30A, I felt like I was in a completely different climate and place altogether.
We found an amazing lunch spot with delicious food. The price showed because we were in an expensive part of town haha, but it was worth it. Linley was getting so much attention from all the women on spring break, and from other pups walking by, too. He’s well-loved wherever we go! 🙂
Again: “look up, look out!”
We quickly stopped at our Airbnb but ventured back to downtown Panama City because again, it suddenly felt warm and sunny. There was an art fair going on and although Lin was overstimulated, we found a great spot by the water to walk around and grab a drink before hitting the beach one last time. Seeing Linley smile and play the way he does when he’s in a new place is something that always melts Alex’s and my hearts. And seeing my two favorite fellas bond is something I’ll never get over!
The theme of the day was fog, because we sadly had one last evening of it during sunset. We met a stranger named Lee, who was nice but talked our ear off, so maybe it was a blessing it was foggy (I would’ve felt like I was missing out otherwise haha!) Despite the fog, Linley enjoyed frolicking on St. Joe Beach again on the last evening of our trip. When we visit again, we’ll stay near this beach because it was absolutely beautiful, barely anyone was around, and it was one of the nicer beaches we’d ever been to with Linley. I miss it just writing this now!
We headed back into town for our last dinner of the trip, and let’s just say I ate my body weight in crab legs! Aside from the fried fish we made the night before, it was my best meal of the trip, and it was great to be on the patio with Alex and Linley. The whole weekend felt like my happy place!
We were exhausted because of how much fun we had! We can’t wait to return, and we can’t wait for our next Tracey Trio roadtrip. 🥹
Lin was exhausted the next morning!
Media taken Saturday, March 7 & Sunday, March 8, 2026.
Do you ever have those weekends where you wish every weekend were like that? That’s how I felt on Friday the 13th (a holiday I love to celebrate), Valentine’s Day (a day a hardly celebrate) and the day after.
I’m grateful that I’m starting to feel at home in Atlanta again, that I finally have a truer sense of community and that I’m continuing to meet new people, try new things and experience true joy.
Dinner with Devin, Colin and AlexAlex’s first time at Build a BearOur new stuffies!Linley thinking the stuffie was hisLinley’s sweet bandanaThe Alex’s cheering with sakeTwinning at the burlesque showLinley watching himself get groomedLin sleeping with one of his actual stuffies
I also had a lovely dinner with a dear friend, coffee with another friend and her daughter, a fun Lunar New Year concert with Alex and a great dance class this week. Although I love staying busy, I’m excited for a lazy weekend!
Media taken Friday, March 13 – Sunday, March 15, 2026 🧧
Last Saturday, Alex and I felt like kids again while sledding up in Michigan. My parents still had some sleds and we headed to a hill I’d sled on as a kid all the time. My dad was so sweet to not only drive us there, but video us going down the hill!
I hadn’t went sledding in three or four years, and it’d been almost 20 years for Alex! We had a blast and it was so sweet to have these moments captured. I can’t wait for next time 🫶
And while we were sledding up in Michigan, Lin enjoyed some snow down here in Georgia!
Yesterday was probably the best Christmas I’ve ever had. I used to love my family get-togethers before my estrangement took place, but holidays haven’t been spent with my biological family since 2018 or 2019. As much as I miss spending time with my parents, Alex and I will be seeing them next month, and that dedicated quality time will mean so much to me.
I was tossing and turning on Christmas Eve night into Christmas Day, and Alex let his parents know that I was feeling anxious and emotional about my past. My first Christmas with his family in 2023 was nice but it doesn’t even compare to the love, support and ease I felt yesterday. I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
We visited Lau Lau (Alex’s grandma) for lunch with all the aunts and uncles and their families, then had quality time with Alex’s parents and brother on the Tracey side, followed by a lovely dinner at Aunt Susan’s and Uncle Ray’s house. Spending quality time with the cousins and our friend Trizzie was super fun, and it felt very much like the cousin time I’d had as a kid long ago. It was nice to feel young again, and I haven’t felt that way on Christmas in probably almost twenty years.
I couldn’t be more grateful for Alex, the love he has for Linley and me, his parents, and entire family for welcoming Lin and me with open arms. As my therapist always says: I deserve to feel safe and loved in every space, and I felt that way in spades yesterday. My father-in-law even turned to me, we clinked champagne glasses, and he told me how happy he was that I was there. And my mother-in-law told me that she looks forward to many more years of love and celebration to come.
November seemed a lot calmer than October, but things are changing just as the leaves did.
November was a good month and I’m excited to practice more mindfulness in scheduling, peacefulness and achieving my goals.
Lunch back at one of our favorite places in Hilton HeadDinner with our best friendsA much-needed girl dinner
Piedmont dog park
Viagra Boys!!!
The best way to wake up
A new routine in La Mezcla classA beautiful sunset with Alex and LinleyExploring Folly Island and Charleston for the first timeLinley had the best time on National Hiking Day!More dog park fun
Being so close to nature
A pup cup from Uncle JesseA fun weekend with Linley and the Alex’sAdopt don’t shop!!! And donate this holiday season!Raindrops
Lin got another pup cup!My two favorite guysLinley’s version of being a sous chef!Thankful for Miss Ellie
Hiking Stone Mountain againAfternoons as a family
Lin being cute and sweet as ever
Yet another dog park day!My goofy husbandAnother metal show with Justin
Traveling with the Traceys 